Belarus to renounce non-nuclear status following Russia's invasion of Ukraine Belarus on Sunday signaled that it would renounce its non-nuclear status, following the launch of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from the former Soviet nation last week. Authorities in the country — ruled by Moscow-backed strongman Alexander Lukashenko for nearly three decades — said the move was backed by a referendum. According to the Belarus Central Elections Commission, some 78.63% of the eligible voting population took part in the vote, with 65.16% in favor of a new constitution that will shed the country’s non-nuclear status and give Lukashenko the opportunity to run for two additional terms in office. But Western leaders will not recognize the legitimacy of Sunday’s vote. In a statement from January, the US mission to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) described the referendum as “neither a viable — nor credible — path forward for Belarus.” The vote follows a years-long violent crackdown by the Lukashenko regime against his domestic political opponents, following the disputed presidential election in 2020 which was marred by fraud and triggered mass protests. What this could mean for Russia: Belarus' new constitution could theoretically allow Moscow to place nuclear weapons on its neighbor's territory for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union, when Minsk gave up its stockpile and became a nuclear-free zone. The amendments and additions to the constitution passed in the referendum will come into effect in 10 days' time, according to Lukashenko’s office. Lukashenko and Putin: Addressing journalists at a polling station in Minsk on Sunday, Lukashenko said he could ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to “return the nuclear weapons” Belarus gave away if the West transfers any nuclear weapons to Poland or Lithuania. "If America or ... France, two nuclear powers, start transferring nuclear weapons to Poland or Lithuania, on our borders ... I will go to Putin so that he will return to me the nuclear weapons that I, without any special conditions, gave to them,” Lukashenko said. In his on-camera remarks, Lukashenko also accused the West of “pushing Russia to ignite World War III,” before warning that “a nuclear war would end the world.”
Putin seems to be switching to phase 2 as his blitzkrieg failed, now heavy shelling of civilian areas, especially in Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, once considered a pro-Russian city.
What scares me most is if Russia and China lock arms and begin to deny the rest of the world the goods we're all dependent on. A major economic war might be next. It saddens me that America has became so divisive. In the beginning, I do believe Trump had good intentions in terms of an outsider taking on Washington (swamp, whatever) as a whole, but he let it all go to his head and look what we've become. For all he did wrong, I think "Bill" Clinton did the best job of bringing sides together. It occurs to me that we were the most unified (and fiscally responsible) during his years in office. I hope the Ukraine talks are successful.
Ya gotta love this, @crandc. Women fighters. Check! https://www.foxnews.com/world/forme...ilitary-warns-russian-invaders-will-be-killed Former Miss Grand Ukraine joins Ukrainian military, warns Russian invaders will be killed 'Everyone who crosses the Ukrainian border with the intent to invade will be killed!' the former beauty queen said The former Miss Grand Ukraine reportedly joined the Ukrainian military and has warned that anyone who crosses the border with the intention of invading will be killed. Anastasia Lenna, a beauty queen who represented Ukraine in 2015 in the Miss Grand International beauty contest, made the claims on her Instagram, according to the New York Post.
But honestly at over 6000 nuclear bombs does it really matter? 20 or 30 pretty much destroys the world as we know it right?
A Washington Post article said a month ago most Ukrainians we're politically apathetic, concerned about inflation and jobs. President Zelinsky had a low approval rating, parliament lower. Then Russia invades.... I got attacked for talking about female soldiers. Will ABM?
The young victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Blood-stained woman clutches little girl's pink scarf as she lies fatally wounded after bombardment of her home - as 16 children are killed and 45 injured in conflict GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Fight to save little girl's life in Mariupol lays bare attacks on Ukrainian people Child wearing pink unicorn pyjamas was fatally injured in shell blast on her family home in southern port Photographs chart the final minutes of her life as paramedics and doctors battled to revive the unnamed child Final image of her lying dead in hospital the defining image of the human cost to Putin's war in the Ukraine Deputy Mayor of Kyiv shares photo of a girl named Polina, who he says was killed while in a car with her family President Zelensky said in a TV address today that 16 Ukrainian children have been killed and 45 wounded https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ity-Putins-Ukraine-invasion-single-photo.html
Ukraine war: The latest Ukraine's MoD says Russia has lost 5,300 soldiers, 29 planes, 29 helicopters and 151 tanks Russia's MoD has for the first time acknowledged suffering losses, but refused to say how many Russian economy entered freefall as Western sanctions put in place over the weekend took effect, with ruble sliding to its lowest level ever Moscow's central bank has more-than doubled the interest rate to 20 per cent Russia orders people and companies to sell 80 per cent of their revenue in foreign currencies, forcing them to buy the ruble to help prop it up Moscow stock exchange won't open until at least 3pm in an attempt to head off all-out crash Zelensky has allowed Ukrainian prisoners to be freed if they join defence forces to 'repay their debt' Ukraine president also announced creation of 'international brigade' for foreign volunteers wishing to join military, after 'thousands' applied Spain's foreign minister called Putin's order to put nuclear forces on high alert 'one more sign of [his] absolute irrationality' Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his country should be open to hosting nuclear weapons Germany announced a $112million fund to rebuild the country's armed forces, more-than double its current self-defence budget EU announced, for the first time in its history, that it will send funds to Ukraine for weapons - including fighter jets
Teacher, 52, whose bloodied face became the iconic image of war in Ukraine shows off her wounds in gruesome video after Russian media accused her of faking her injuries and being an actress Olena Kurilo, 52, was pictured with a bloodied face outside her blitzed home She has since been targeted by Russian trolls claiming she is an actress The mother-of-one has been forced to defend herself from the vicious smears
